Hopeless Place
by modestlykeithhelm
Summary: Just a short little fluff piece I wrote for my roommate and decided to throw up on here.
1. Chapter 1

"Good morning, hun." Marinette's mom smiled warmly as she handed the sleepy teen a glass of juice and a box of her favorite cereal. "Any exciting plans tonight?"

Marinette filled her bowl with a yawn.

"Plans? Tonight? Not really, no...why?"

"I swear, you are so scatterbrained sometimes. It's New Years Eve!"

Marinette blinked a few times and groaned.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe I totally spaced on that! I was so busy working on those sketches I just lost all track of the dates."

"I'll say. You're mixing up your days of the week too. Those chores aren't exactly going to do themselves, you know."

"I know, I know."

"Don't you 'I know' me, young lady. If you knew, we wouldn't be having this talk. There's the living room to dust and vacuum, the furniture could use a polish…"

Marinette stole at glance at her phone which had been buzzing furiously in her pocket. _Ayla._

"Um, okay mom. I'll get right on that! I'm gonna start by...um...checking the mail."

She scooted out the door as quickly as her legs could carry her."

"Check the? I didn't tell her to check the mail?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey. Ayla. Sorry it took me a minute to pick up. My mom was having one of her moments."

"Yo! I totally hear yah, girlfriend. My momster can really chew. Me. Out! When she gets her rage on. Think there's any way you can escape? I have some amazing news that's going to rock your world!"

"I Ayla-ways have time for you."

"Hashtag groan-fest! You're too much, chica."

Marinette giggled.

"I love you too. I'm on my way. You're at your house right?"

"Roger doger. See you in a few."

Ayla hung up. She's on her way. A little flutter ran from her heart to her fingers. Just wait till she finds out what I've cooked up.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hi!" Ayla threw her arms up and wrapped Marinette in a rib crushing hug. "It's my bug-a-boo!"

"Haha Whoa! You're acting like you haven't seen me in a year!"

"Well if had been late by a matter of hours that statement would technically be accurate." Ayla quipped whitly with a sly little wink.

"Well , tell me. What is this news that gonna rock my world?"

Ayla mocked a deep bow and hand gesture.

"Right this way, m'lady."

Marinette laughed again.

"Now look who's 'too much!' Alright, alright. I'll follow your lead."

As Marinette followed her friend through the twists and turns of her home she heard Tiki whisper softly.

"I can't wait to see this."

"Ok, here we go!" Ayla logged on to her personal computer with a flourish and pulled up her facebook profile. Her own picture beamed up at them from underneath a transparent French flag. Marinette pulled over another chair and sat beside her. She leaned forward, curious.

"So, what am I looking at?"

"First of all, did you see the link I shared?"

"I must have. It says I liked it."

Ayla sighed dramatically.

"Yeah you 'saw' it but did you _see_ it?"

"I….?"

Ayla cleared her throat and proceeded to read the ad to her.

"Spend a magical evening with the dream boys of Wish. The same pop sensation that's been skyrocketing in the charts will be whisking you away to a melodic wonderland where you will dance your heart out. Their hot new sultry singles are the perfect swan song for 2015 and the best way to reign in the new year. Join us in the Champ-de-Mars for a night and morning you will never forget."

"Wow! That _does_ sound exciting. The 'rock your world' comment also makes a lot more sense now."

"But wait! There's more! You know who else is obsessed with Wish?" It didn't take too long before Marinette put two and two together in her head. Her eyes widened in that typical Marinette way. "You got it, m'lady. Your dashing prince. The same man who," she paused wanting to drag out this reveal as long as she could. The way Marinette clasped her hands together while biting her lower lip was driving her crazy. "is going with us."

Marinette's jaw dropped in a scream not accessible to the human ear. The pooches of Paris, however, would be having a field day.

"What? No! There's no way! I mean...how?!"

Ayla pulled up a facebook thread.

"Take a look."


	4. Chapter 4

Nathalie looked completely lost.

"I'm sorry. Could you explain this to me once more? You don't... _want them?_ "

Adrian shrugged.

"That about sums it up."

"But Adrian, these are not only the best seats in the house. They're backstage passes. You'd get to meet the band."

"And I'm not interested. My friends messaged me a really sweet invite. I'll be sitting in the picnic grounds with them."

"I just want to point out that your father worked very hard to get these for you."

Adrian's eyebrow arched in disbelief.

"Oh. _Did he now?_ "

Nathalie glanced back to her desk with no small amount of guilt. The same phone where she had made all the calls tracking down those silly passes mere days ago. Adrian stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder.

"I appreciate it. I really do. I just think that these seats might have a better view.


	5. Chapter 5

There were no two ways about it. The park was swamped. Marinette fought to keep track of Alya in the crowd. She held on to her friend's wrist tightly as they dodged people left and right nearly treading on toes a few times.

"Wow!" Marinette breathed "I know they're a popular group but I had _no idea_." She could hear Alya giggle.

"Girl, you need to keep up with what's hot."

"Yeah, I suppose. At least I have you so I'm not _completely_ uninformed."

"Lady Wifi at your service."

Marinette inwardly shuddered at the reference to Alya's akumatized form. She hoped that she would never be put in a situation like that again. Having someone so close to her pin her against a wall like that, totally prepared to reveal her secret to the world...it was more than Marinette could bear and, for once, the miraculous confidence of her alter ego hadn't been enough to shield her feelings. Sure, she put on a brave face for Tiki. It's what a hero is expected to do. Inside her head was a completely different story.

"Here we are!" Marinette and Alya finally broke through the crowd onto the large green. Fans were setting up collapsible furniture, unpacking coolers full of refreshments and peering through binoculars at the technicolor stage.

"Oh...my" Marinette was in a daze. Alya stared at her, transfixed by the childlike expression of wonder.

"So? You ready for your big moment?" She waggled her eyebrows.

Marinette blinked, puzzled.

"I don't think I catch your drift?"

"You know...the kiss?"

"What?! Who?! Why?! I"

"Whoah. Whoah. Whoah. Take a breathe or like ten. Hear me out. You've been tiptoeing around this whole Adrian thing for too long. I see the way you look at him. I hear the way you talk about him. You just need to get out of your own way for once. So I decided it was time for me to step in and put things in hyper drive."

"And you want me to _what_?"

"Marinette. Tonight is not a normal night."

"It's not?"

"Nope. It's magical. It's lucky. It's a harbinger. It's...New. Years. Eve."

"Um...still sounds pretty normal to me."

Alya sighed deeply. Marinette could be adorably naive sometimes.

"It's the one night out of the year when you can kiss whoever you want without it being weird or awkward. It's a tradition. When the clock strikes midnight you just...do it."

"So you want me...and Adrian to…"

"Yup! He won't think anything of it because, you know, tis the season. Meanwhile you will never have to be nervous or awkward about talking to him again. Once you've already locked lips, what's a measly conversation?"

"I suppose when you put it that way…"

"I know!" Alya clapped loudly. "I'm a genius! You'll have to thank me later though cause your destiny just spotted us and he's on his way over."

Alya had to keep herself from laughing at the squeak that emerged involuntarily from Marinette's mouth. _I hope this works out for you, babe. If he makes you happy then you deserve that. You deserve the entire world._


End file.
